All Japan Classics 96

 

Dos Caras vs. Masanobu Fuchi (12/8/83, Sendai)

- Maybe it is a common spot in Caras matches but the double headstand, slap each other in the face spot was SWEET! Early on, it is a game of Caras locking on some random hold and Fuchi trying to find a way to break it or reverse it. After getting hit with a flying cross chop, Fuchi rolls out of the ring but gets hit by an airborne Caras in a big spot that was executed a little awkwardly. The 2nd half was pretty spotty with both guys breaking out moves to put the other way but there was no real rhyme or reason for doing anything. Eventually, Caras hits a hurruncanrana pin to put it away. I’ll throw this on the block for low-level consideration but we have plenty of Fuchi matches that smoke this but I don’t think I have nominated a Caras match yet. I may be wrong.

 

Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr vs. The Mongolian & Goro Tsurumi (11/25/83, Osaka)

- Mongolian submits to the spinning toe hold. I wasn’t feeling this.

 

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Umanosuke Ueda (12/5/83, Hukuoka)

- You blink and this one is over. The match never really gets started because these guys are just brawling. Jumbo unloads on Ueda with a chair and Ueda responds by stabbing Jumbo with a foreign object but Jumbo doesn’t bleed which is weird.

 

Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. The Mongolian & Goro Tsurumi (′83 World Strongest Tag League Match) (83/11/29,Sapporo)

- Mongolian is his team’s Ron Fuller as he goes down easily after a Hansen lariat.

 

Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras (′83 World Strongest Tag League Match) (83/12/5,Hukuoka)

- This was a mess. Brody pins Caras after a powerslam.

Dos Caras vs. Masa Fuchi (12/8/83)

 

Yeah like Will I love the double headstand spot with face slapping but these were like love taps more than slaps. Dos really works the holds here and puts Fuchi in some interesting positions but Fuchi would find some way to get out keeping Dos on his toes. I loved Dos doing the flip into the corner to a plancha off the top rope to the floor. Fuchi would soon turn the tide though hitting a piledriver and a missile dropkick to setup a figure-four but Dos would come back and this turned into back and forth action with both men trading moves until Dos got the win with a huracarana. This was a good match but it didn't have any breakout moments so I'm going no on a nomination.

 

Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. vs. The Mongol (Gene Lewis) & Goro Tsurumi (11/25/83)

 

This wasn't that good.

 

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Umanoseke Ueda (12/5/83)

 

This was a brawl at the bell and a short match in general.

 

Bruiser Brody & Stan "The Lariat" Hansen vs. The Mongol (Gene Lewis) & Goro Tsurumi (11/29/83)

 

This was yet another of the crappy matches in the 1983 RWTL.

 

Bruiser Brody & Stan "The Lariat" Hansen vs. Dos Caras & Mil Mascaras (12/5/83)

 

And yet another crappy match.